


Loyalty

by GothicPrincessWitch



Series: The Templar!Fenris AU [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mutual Pining, Referenced past slavery, Templar AU, breakup angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-13 21:07:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14120841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicPrincessWitch/pseuds/GothicPrincessWitch
Summary: After leaving Hawke, Fenris needed more distance and joined the Templar Order, but with Hawke's rise to power as Champion of Kirkwall, Knight-Commander Meredith questions Fenris's loyalty to the Templars.





	Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunlian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunlian/gifts).



> For a prompt sent on Tumblr for more Templar!Fenris! Thank you so much for the prompt, friend, and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> For timeline clarity: this takes place about two weeks after the end of the Champions of the Just fic, post-Act 2 but before Act 3.

Knight-Templar Ser Fenris stands at attention before his Knight-Commander. This is the first time he's been summoned to Meredith's office, but he supposes this meeting was inevitable. He does possess rather more unique circumstances than any other Templar in Kirkwall, after all; he would have come under her scrutiny sooner or later.

Knight-Commander Meredith Stannard is a very formidable woman. Tall, imposing, and strikingly beautiful, with pale gold curls framing her face, she sits at her desk and runs her ice-blue eyes over Fenris. Her gazes pauses on the silver lines curling over his chin. Most of the lyrium brands are currently hidden beneath his Templar uniform, which helps Fenris feel less on display as Meredith assesses his appearance before her, and he holds her gaze unflinchingly.

He has a healthy amount of respect for the Knight-Commander. It isn't easy to be a Templar in a city crawling with demons. Some of the other Templars have told Fenris that she's too harsh, too strict, and sometimes Fenris wonders if that's true. But then he remembers Tevinter and all of the humiliations and violations he was forced to suffer, the cries of slaves sacrificed for power, the agony of blood magic burrowing under his skin, and he tells himself that he is willing to follow Meredith in order to prevent _that_ from happening here.

Fenris does disapprove of her heavy-handed involvement in politics, however. The threat of maleficarum should be her sole focus rather than the running of the entire city, but it would seem politics is an unfortunate part of this very meeting when Meredith unceremoniously says, "I hear you have a personal relationship with the Champion."

"Correct," Fenris responds immediately, although his face involuntarily grows warm at the mention of his relationship with Hawke.

"I need to know where your loyalties lie: with the Order or with the Champion," Meredith demands, her voice sharper than a blade.

Incredulous, Fenris opens his mouth to protest, to insist that he swore an oath upon joining the Order, that _of course_ he's loyal because he belongs in the Templars, but the words don't come out.

Meredith raises an arched eyebrow expectantly.

That's when Fenris realizes that she views him as a possible threat. Hawke is currently undermining her reign over Kirkwall, with his recent declaration that he's set his sights on the empty Viscount's throne. So far, Hawke has been loyal to the Chantry and the Templar Order, but he could easily become a greater obstacle to Meredith's control with his popularity among the nobles, and with that comes the potential of Fenris undercutting her authority within the Templar ranks.

And Fenris is not dependent upon her for lyrium, which means Meredith has less control over him.

He recalls learning of what happened to Meredith's predecessor, of how Viscount Threnhold has the previous Knight-Commander brutally killed in front of her and the other Templars for a political statement. Naturally she fears a repeat of history. But Hawke wouldn't do that, even if he were to become Viscount. Hawke would be a good ruler, fair and just, capable and intelligent, and concerned with the welfare of Kirkwall as a whole, not just the nobility.

Fenris had told Hawke as much the day before, when the two had met at Hawke's estate in Hightown, and Hawke had grinned and teased, "Why, Fenris, if you keep flattering me, it'll go to my head."

"I mean every word," Fenris insisted, his heart skipping a beat from the way Hawke's expression softened. "You've earned my high opinion."

"Well, your high opinion means the world to me, Fen," said Hawke, his voice turning softer, more serious, and a tightness filled Fenris's chest with all the certainty that what Hawke was really saying was, _" **You** mean the world to me."_

Fenris's hand, free of his usual gauntlet, was ensconced within Hawke's, and he brushed his lyrium-lined thumb over Hawke's callused knuckles, grounding himself through their touch. Lowering his eyes to their entwined hands, afraid of what he might see written on Hawke's face, Fenris murmured, "Garrett, when you fought the Arishok, before I found you in the throne room, I was afraid you... that I'd never get to tell you how highly I regard you, how very much I..."

This was his chance, but the words froze on his tongue, and he shook his head. _Still not ready, despite everything._ He disentangled his hand from Hawke's. Glancing up beneath the curtain of silver bangs falling over his eyes, Fenris saw that he didn't have to speak his feelings aloud, for Hawke was staring at him with endless understanding, his golden eyes warm and tender and full of so much affection.

"In all honesty," Hawke replied, choosing his words carefully, "during the whole duel I was telling myself over and over again that I couldn't die without seeing you again."

He lifted his fingers to trace the lines of fire surrounding the Blade of Mercy emblazoned upon Fenris's Templar chestplate. It was fitting, Fenris thought, for the design of flames to be over his heart, for his heart felt aflame from the way Hawke looked at him.

Feeling suddenly emboldened, Fenris impulsive leaned forward, bringing his hands to cup Hawke's face, and pressed his lips to Hawke's. This kiss contained everything Fenris was afraid to say, everything he wasn't ready to say. Pulling back before Hawke could deepen the kiss, with his hands still caressing Hawke's face, and with his voice quavering, Fenris said, "That was a promise."

"A promise?" Hawke echoed breathlessly as he leaned into Fenris's touch.

"You are not allowed to die, no matter what happens in Kirkwall, because someday you must return that kiss to me."

Hawke's mouth curved into the most entrancing smile Fenris had ever seen. "I promise."

Lips tingling from the memory of this kiss and all the unspoken parts of that promise, as he stands in Meredith's office, Fenris knows full well the truth about his loyalty.

Meredith's eyes alight on the red silk favor tied around his right wrist, his deviation from standard Templar uniform, and the pursing of her lips tells Fenris that she's correctly guessed precisely with whom his loyalties lie.

The answer is, and only ever could be, Garrett Hawke.


End file.
